Monday Multitudes

Gratitude, Thanksgiving, Praise


Continuing to count my blessings.

Thank you, Lord, for

11 family photos
12 friends who email invites for opportunities to exercise this old body... I just need to get up the nerve to reply
13 leftovers
14 sisters who love to play all day with fabric
15 clean mopped floors, if only for a moment, *sigh
16 gorgeous weather in November
17 free shipping on Cyber Monday
18 sweatpants :)
19 hot water and brown sugar body wash
20 nativity scenes

No Room at the Inn - sharing gifts

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Trail Ridge is hosting the No Room at the Inn on December 5 and 6 at Trail Ridge Retirement Center in Sioux Falls.

This beautiful display of many Nativity scenes is free for the family and there will also be vendors with booths including my sister and her hairbows and headbands for girls of all ages.

You really can't afford to miss this. There will be a free will donation that will benefit the homeless in Sioux Falls. I think it is a win win event.

See you there:)

While I was typing this post I got this message from my mom:) I'll call it divine timing...

This Christmas season, we are re-gifting Christ’s birth to the Sioux Falls community. You are invited to share in the wonder of Christmas by attending the fifth annual No Room at the Inn on December 5th (6 to 8 PM) and December 6th (1 – 4 PM) at Trail Ridge Retirement Community near 69th and Louise in Sioux Falls.

No Room at the Inn is a display of unique nativity scenes from around the world - with personal reflections about each Nativity by its owner. There will also be a silent auction, holiday vendors, outstanding entertainment and refreshments. What a beautiful way to remember the wondrous story of Christ’s birth and the true reason we celebrate Christmas.

No Room at the Inn helps two organizations…who in turn help many: St. Francis House in Sioux Falls, whose mission is to “move people from homelessness to hope,” and The Greater Sioux Falls Coalition on Aging, whose mission is to educate people on the resources available for the elderly – including housing options.

We ask you to accept this gift from us – to share with your family the story of Christ’s birth, to become aware of the needs of the homeless in Sioux Falls and become a part of the solution by attending this event. For you see, a young couple currently wanders the streets of Sioux Falls looking for shelter. They are knocking on your door. Will you tell them that there is no room? Or will you agree to accept this gift from us, and in-turn pass the gift on by supporting No Room at the Inn and our efforts to help the St. Francis House and the Greater Sioux Falls Coalition on Aging?

For more information about how you can support No Room at the Inn, please call 605-339-4847 or email nrati@live.com. This event is free and open to all public.

Use it or lose it?

Ever wondered how long you can keep food in the freezer or fridge, say for example a 16 pound turkey you put in the freezer last November?

Find out what you can use and what you should throw away using Stilltasty.com.

Thanks, Cindy!

btw I need to cook a turkey this week :)

Manic Monday Multitudes

Not in the mood.
Her head got in the way of her brothers hammer.Beautiful even with three stitches...

Ever have one of those days, weeks, months, years?

This morning I woke up to a a two year old with a reddish blueish colored eye who did not want her photo taken. It seems in the craziness of yesterday she may have fallen down the deck steps, or something, and bruised her eye. That's what we came up with anyway. No one really has an explanation for it. But some of us vaguely remember her toppelling down the steps last night as the rest of us were busy cleaning out the garage and tending to the one year old.

Both the youngsters have a cough. It started on Thursday or Friday and has culminated into a snotty wheezy bark. The fever, when it appears, is only slight and the only other symptom is uber crankiness. When they cry or whine it sounds like someone is slowly releasing the air from a helium balloon. Pleasant it is not. I am trying to justify taking them in to the clinic for clear runny snot and a barky cough. Luckily my adorable hubby is a respiratory therapist and assures me we don't need call the doctor just yet, otherwise I may be slightly neurotic about the whole thing. Have you ever had to listen to two squealing balloons off an on for 5 days? Truly, I am sympathetic. They are only babies, but I am the kind of sympathetic with a headache:)

So this morning, when I had to rearrange some of my plans for the day, I got a little discouraged. Another day of not crossing the things off the list that really need to get done. Before I got too deep in my own pity I glanced at my verses for every day of the year and this is what it said...

ALWAYS BE JOYFUL. Always keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

So, I am reminded of One Thousand Gifts, Multitude Monday at Holy Experience, something I have wanted to begin for a long time...so here goes.

Gratititde, Thanksgiving, Praise

Thank you, Lord for;

1 manic Mondays that help me remember to be thankful
2 beautiful faces with three stiches and brown eyes and red eyelids and blue eyes
3 gatherings of family for thankfullness, dinner and photos(even with healing faces)
4 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
5 days to spend with my children, healthy or healing
6 apple pie that has yet to be made
7 cookies that failed this weekend and some that did not
8 freecyle finds and friends
9 crocheted hats and beautiful bows made by a loving sister
10 piles of laundry that may stay in piles for another day

Falsenessess and Endurance

1 And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!" 2 And Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another, that will not be thrown down." 3 And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign when these things are all to be accomplished?" 5 And Jesus began to say to them, "Take heed that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name, saying, `I am he!' and they will lead many astray. 7 And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places, there will be famines; this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs.
9 "But take heed to yourselves; for they will deliver you up to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say; but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 And brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 13 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.
Mark 13:1-13

Pastor had a WONDERFUL sermon this Sunday. I wanted to post about it and I should have, because now I forgot most of the wisdom I wanted to share about it.

Thinking about false prophets gets me thinking about idols and I have many of them...including this blog. I am making an effort to read Scripture online as much as I read other things. It has led me to some very interesting places. Places I would have never thought I might go for inspiration.

Caution, brutal honesty coming up...

I sometimes feel that being raised Lutheran has influenced me to be untrusing of other Christians. As I have experienced my life I have always been curious about other people and their faith. At first I was skeptical of others, thinking perhaps they were not practicing their faith the right way. At times I even dismissed other faiths simply because they were not the same as mine.

I try always to go back to the Word, take out my tattered and highlighted Book to see if the words printed are the same as what I am hearing. So much of the Word is taken out of context, I, myself, am guilty of reading into verses. I pray that when I do use Scripture it will be interpreted the way that it should be, the way He intended it. Truthfully, I know sometimes I do not and can not understand the true meaning.

I have found, in the most unLutheran of places, fellowship in the Text. Inspiration, hope, and comfort with other Christians, be them Lutheran, Jewish, or Baptist. I am enlightened by posts from women and men all over the world. Am I being led astray? I hope not. I pray not. I believe just the opposite, that I am being strengthened and am learning more about my personal journey with the Savior through others and their winding paths.

This is not to say that there are no false prophets. There are many. They are strong.
It will (is getting) get ugly. I know this.

I am reminded, through the above verses in the Gospel of Mark, that our time here is limited and I need to balance the good with the ugly. It is terrible of me to spend this time here and not glorify the One who made me. I spend an hour finding how to get 100 free photo prints and minutes in daily devotions. That is falseness. My life is full of falsenesses. Free samples, free shipping, cash back, rebates, coupons...check the sidebar for the proof ;)

Endurance is the key. Keep on keeping on. Read more about Him. Post more about Him. Share more deals about Him. The REAL DEAL. Listen for Him, see Him, be more like Him.

I have added several "new" sites to my google reader. Each balancing their own falseness with truth. So, if you happen to visit me to check out the latest deals and you come across a post that I have shared about the Lord and Giver of Life. Know that I am trying my best to endure, and by all means take out your Bible to be sure:)

The last piece

Last night the adorable, and might I add handy, hubby put the LAST piece of the siding on the house. WAHOO!

I made a celebratory dinner of baked potato soup, artisan bread, corn, and caramel apples.

This morning project man reappeared, well rested and ready to recover my dining table chairs. (Okay, it may have taken a tiny bit of nagging.)

Before

After:)

Now, if I only had a new kitchen to put them in, sigh.

I AM thankful for my new siding and my new chair coverings sans any labor costs:)

count with me

Birthday, by the numbers...

8 glorious hours at my FAVORITE classroom, subbing, which led to

2 tired feet from fabulous yet extremely uncomfortable boots.

35 candles on surprise birthday cake (see photo) made by

1 adorable hubby; cake from a box, frosting from SCRATCH!

2.5 hours at the dentist from which my 6-year old son left saying, "THAT WAS FUN!"

1 totally awesome neighbor who was able to watch the baby girls since the dentist was running behind and adorable hubby had a night shift.

6 hungry people fed by a warm meal made by none other than adorable hubby.

2 homemade birthday salutations made by the big kids (see photo).

9 birthday emails, phone calls or texts + lots of facebook birthday wishes.

4 beautiful children singing me happy birthday.

2 slices of cake shared with neighbor (thanks Doris).

20 some candles lit, it got too hot to light them all...

2 baby girls who slept ALL NIGHT LONG.

1 very exhausted but extremely content and ridiculously blessed mommy with a birthday hangover headache:)

Fall

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Brotherly love...

Quote of the day;

"It's crooked"

"I know. It's SUPPOSE to be."

Thanks to Ryan's brothers for all the hard work. The last side of the house has been sided. Bring on the snow!